Solar Rangers
The Solar Rangers, otherwise known as the Rangers of Maarstan, are a Loyalist Chapter of Space Marines, successors of the Iron Hands Chapter and the product of an unknown Founding, although what is known is that they were created during the Nova Terra Interregnum. The Solar Rangers are charged with the extermination of xenos within an unnamed Sub-Sector of Segmentum Pacificus, particularly the Skumdreg Empire of Orks and the forces of Hive Fleet Vritra, alongside the extermination of various renegade groups and traitor organizations. The Solar Rangers share a close connection with the Adeptus Mechanicus and thus have access to a variety of cybernetic and technological enhancements alongside weaponry that has been modified to suit their preferences in combat, which derive from the Codex Astartes. The Solar Rangers are considered infamous for their enhanced senses and perception, even by the standards of many other Space Marines, with their dexterity and observational ability being the most powerful of their sensory assets, and as such they are gifted with heightened agility and reaction time alongside unchallenged aiming. The Solar Rangers are held with contempt by multiple other Chapters due to a reputation for recklessness and disregard for protocol found amongst their ranks, which has led to a particularly high casualty rate during multiple campaigns. The psykers of the Solar Rangers are capable of influencing the local flow of time, allowing enemies to be slowed and dispatched with less difficulty alongside various other talents that lend benefits to the combat style of the Chapter. History Founding Organization Unit Designations Granger A Granger '''is the term used to designate unofficial personnel such as Initiates, Aspirants, and Neophytes, alongside any junior rank within the Chapter's hierarchy below that of the Spotter. The word "Granger" may also be used to refer to working civilians outside of the Chapter. Spotter A '''Spotter is the term used to designate Scout Marines and are used by the Solar Rangers as a means of information reconnaissance prior to engagements and infantry support, often attached to small squads of Astartes in order to provide assistance as well as learn on-field experience and cooperative tactics. Spotters are usually equipped with weaponry such as Astartes Assault Shotgun and Astartes Plasma Rifle - a lighter, more portable version of the standard Plasma Gun with reduced potency, although it is nonetheless capable of dealing significant damage. All Grangers that survive the rites of passage become Spotters and while some may remain as a Spotter for the rest of their service, many others ascend the rank. Gunslinger A Gunslinger '''is the term used to designate standard Space Marines and are the most numerous units found within the Solar Rangers Chapter. Gunslingers deviate from many other standard Astartes of other Chapters due to their equipment, as Gunslingers are known to make use of Bolt Revolves in place of the otherwise standard Bolter. Gunslingers operate in small teams that are in turn part of larger groups as a result of their efficiency and often make use of Assault Bikes and other fast vehicles. It is at the rank of Gunslinger when personnel receive their first Bolt Revolver and the cybernetic augments necessary in order to wield them properly. Vulture Deputy Ghost Rider Quack Spirit-Talker Sheriff Marshall Special Units and Equipment Maarstan Coyotes '''Maarstan coyotes are one of the native predatory species of the Solar Rangers' homeworld of Maarstan and happen to be one the most efficient and powerful carnivores that roam the world's surface, being both large and agile. The Solar Rangers selectively breed coyotes in order to achieve the most optimal of results while later genetically and cybernetically modifying the creatures from a young age, and will often use them as a means to counter infantry via training them to make the best of their instinctive hunting procedure - flank the enemy and aim for vulnerable parts such as the eyes or spines in order to incapacitate prey. Maarstan coyotes are a popular choice of pet among the more venerated amongst the Solar Rangers Astartes, being particularly noted for their difficulty to tame and control as they will only respond to the strongest members of their, often small, packs. Maarstan Horses Peacemaker-Variant Bolt Pistol, "Bolt Revolver" The Peacemaker Mark III Pattern Bolt Pistol, often simplified as the Bolt Revolver, is a modified variant of the otherwise standard Bolt Pistol design and is the primary weapon of Gunslinger Astartes. Designed to be portable and efficient, the Bolt Revolver sacrifices ammunition capacity in exchange for a sturdier frame in order to accommodate for an increased amount of firepower and in order to survive the standard Gunslinger's amazingly quick reflexes. Bolt Revolvers are considered deeply-cultural weapons and many Astartes have taken to naming their weapons, and the loss of a Bolt Revolver is considered a saddening event which is punishable by branding or scarring across the face. The Bolt Revolver is installed with magnetic hardware that reacts with cybernetic implants found within the palms of many Solar Rangers Astartes and is primarily used in order to enhance the draw time to a blindingly fast process and make losing a Bolt Revolver all the more unlikely. The first and most powerful Bolt Revolvers, in a twin set, were wielded by the first Marshall of the Solar Rangers; Widow-Maker ''and ''Savage-Wild were the first two Bolt Revolvers to come into existence and were birthed simultaneously, and are so revered that Widow-Maker is considered a Chapter relic and is the only one of the original Mark I Bolt Revolvers to still be in the possession of the Chapter, with Savage-Wild ''having been lost to Chaos and its servants. All Mark II and Mark III descendant Bolt Revolvers are intentionally designed to be less potent than their Mark I ancestors as a means to prevent potential traitors from becoming too powerful, and the only member of the Solar Rangers that is considered legitimately viable, or at least worthy, to wield the original Mark I Bolt Revolvers is the Marshall. Double-Barreled Melta Shotgun Astartes Plasma Rifle Companies Culture The Solar Rangers promote the philosophies of brotherhood and trust; all Astartes within the Chapter have been taught to value one another as family and that their weapons are but mere tools that are only as good as the men who use them. The Solar Rangers are noted for being close-knit between one another and retain strong connections with the men and women of their homeworld of Maarstan, so much so that the Marshall of the Solar Rangers is simultaneously the Maarstan equivalent of a Planetary Governor and elderly Astartes who have not been suspended within Dreadnaught machinery are deployed to civilian centers and outposts in order to defend them and their people while both interacting with the natives and keeping in service to the Imperium, the Emperor, and Mankind. Cooperation and teamwork are valued aspects within the Solar Rangers and thus a majority of Astartes are trained to work with one another and build significant trust within themselves and their comrades, and as such Astartes who have lost most of their comrades during an engagement are more likely to engage in reckless and often devastating actions which inevitably lead to death. While the Solar Rangers are committed in their service to the Emperor and His Imperium, they value Mankind as a whole and thus prefer to view themselves as the protectors of Man rather than warriors of the Imperium, with a majority of the Astartes within the Chapter possessing a deeply-routed respect for Imperial organizations such as the Imperial Guard and their wide number and variations of Regiments. As the Astartes of the Solar Rangers were often raised within periods of time where the world of Maarstan suffered infestations from Ork tribes and feral Tyranids, they tend to view such xenos as little more than animals rather than intelligent, spacefaring species and thus do not fear them as others do. Solar Rangers will often perform traditional Maarstan events and rituals such as excessive drinking, smoking, and complex card and board games that tend to coincide with both of the former activities fittingly. Shooting competitions involving both live and artificial targets, Maarstan animal rodeo, and bar brawls also play a large part in the activities and entertainment of the Solar Rangers outside of combat, while disputes between Astartes are settled via non-fatal gun duels, with participants aiming to either disarm their opposition or damage areas such as their sides or limbs. Combat Doctrine The Solar Rangers hold a preference for blending both mobile and ballistic warfare into their doctrine of combat, with their weapons and vehicles having undergone modification by their Adeptus Mechanicus allies in order to properly accommodate them and their tactics. The Solar Rangers make use of heavy-hitting weaponry, often modified from standard weapon designs by their Adeptus Mechanicus allies, alongside vehicles such as Assault Bikes, Land Speeders, and their variant models in order to utterly shatter their opposition, devastating defensive positions and initiating complete massacres while being capable of engaging within a quick retreat if they find they are incapable of breaking certain enemies. As Solar Rangers are given the genetic advantage of significantly heightened reflexes, dexterity, and accuracy, small squads consisting of three-to-five Astartes are commonly deployed within larger groups in order to secure multiple positions while spreading personnel efficiently. Before an engagement, Solar Rangers make use of their Spotters, often deployed upon vehicles, in order to gain tactical information on their opposition from afar. Spotters are also attached to these small groups of standard Solar Ranger Astartes as a means of support, allowing them a degree of experience on the front-lines in preparation for their own growth into full-fledged Space Marines. Solar Rangers are inclined to nearly always attempt to dispose of the most potent of their enemy's assets during a battle before anything else, which, if done successfully, can boost the morale of dispatched Solar Rangers and also lower that of their enemies as they proceed to pick off the lesser forces - a strategy that stems from their experience of conflict with Orks and Tyranids, as the Solar Rangers believe that eliminating the leaders of an enemy force will effectively render the rest of their forces easier to handle. The Solar Rangers deviate from the standard equipment used by many other Chapters in favour for technology that has been designed to accommodate them and the modifications that have been performed upon their physiology; more experienced Astartes of the Chapter are gifted with further augmentations which enhance their already-impressive senses, making them some of the fastest and most lethal of Astartes found throughout any chapter. The Solar Rangers possess a deep-routed fondness for explosions and will often use grenades of multiple variants, although it is known that they hold a preference for incendiary grenades, in combat if they face a particularly difficult opponent or to clear out groups of enemies, while Techmarines of the Chapter will establish mines that are rigged to explode upon detecting anything that doesn't possess the registered augmentations and cybernetics of Solar Rangers Astartes. Older and more venerated members of the Chapter will often abandon the usage of Assault Bikes in place of the powerful horses native to the world of Maarstan, fitted with cybernetics and a degree of genetic augmentation in order to accommodate to the needs of such Astartes, with these horses capable of being on par, or in some cases superior, to bikes in terms of speed. Solar Ranger Fleet Notable Campaigns Maarstan ''The Tombstone Recruitment Notable Individuals The Astartes With No Name Abhrammon Reynoldius Old Cassius Austinus Finlay Dallas Overwater Silas Relations Allies Manhunters Enemies Skumdreg Empire Hive Fleet Vritra Black Arms Relics ''Bones of War'' ''The Widow-Maker'' Quotes By About Trivia *The Solar Rangers are inspired by the mythology, history, and media of the Wild West setting, revolving particularly around cowboys and gunslingers. *The Solar Rangers were previously known as the Lambent Daybreak - a Chapter intended to be inspired by Far Eastern and Japanese culture and mythology, although the idea of the Chapter was changed and ultimately became what it is now. Category:Space Marine Chapters Category:23rd Founding